Cinema Six (2012)

In small-town America the out of town cinema, Stanton Family Centers, six screen multiplex provides entertainment for the surrounding locations. In this world you have three men all dealing with certain traumas in their lives. Gabe (Mark Potts) hides in the projection booth, and is often found masturbating in dark corners, afraid to face the public. Mason (John Merriman) spends long shifts working in the cinema to avoid the stresses associated with his home life. And Dennis (Brand Rackley) is trying to get over the heartbreak of his broken relationship. For each of the three men, a day of reckoning is coming; it’s time for change.

If you are a fan of Clerks or Waiting; Cinema Six is a world you will immediately want to immerse yourself in, sarcastic encounters, and abuse are order of the day in this feature. Frenzied waffle attacks, foul mouthed 12 year olds, overtly sexual women, popcorn defecations, this is a movie that takes what Clerks began with and runs with it, delivering a movie that is consistently funny throughout. 

Writer/director team Mark Potts and Cole Selix (whom have made a handful of movies together), have pieced together a motley crew of individuals, and in doing so achieved the almost unachievable by finding a character each of us can relate to, whether these are characters who dominate the piece, or just brief encounters, to develop such a group takes a keen eye, and even keener understanding of people personalities.

Casting wise this is a movie filled with poker faces, how on earth some of this fine cast deliver some of their lines without laughing baffles the mind. You just know in your heart that the editors had a nightmare when it came down to the final cut. Most notably the best poker faces come from the character of Julia (Eloise Kropp) who bounces into a scene with a series of quandaries that each of us would love, scratch that embrace to have.  Mason (John Merriman) who receives a bizarre phone call, that is uncomfortable to watch, let alone act against. And most notably Gabe (Mark Potts) who’s foot in mouth encounters with potential flame Emaline (Madi Goff), will have you squirming in your seat.

Cinema Six is not a movie for everyone, many will accuse it of being puerile, but there is an element of the audience that will absolutely love this movie. This is a movie that will at some point generate a cult following, It’s fast paced, crude, quick witted, but most of all it has a story to tell, a message about life, love, and the want to be a little bit more than who we are.